The (old) news from wikileaks so far – The US is Israel’s greatest enabler

That there is nothing new, or surprising, in these cables yet that we feel the need to parse through them is indicative of our frustration with the current state of affairs, leading us to believe this will be a worthwhile endeavor. Surely there is nothing new in the often-delusional Netanyahu’s petulance, or his persistent paranoid belief that Israel – nay, the Jews – is constantly under attack from all sides, even its allies. That the US will do just about anything for its protégé is likewise old – yawn – news. Netanyahu manages to coerce the US into supporting Israel in its pursuance of its divine mandate for constant, international protection no matter what, and in the face of every real or imagined obstacle.

In the WikiLeaked cables, the Israeli government constantly highlights three threats: “Iran’s nuclear program, the build-up of rockets and missiles in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza, and the Goldstone Report.” (#09TELAVIV2777) In defense against each of these threats, and in other arenas, the Israelis seem adept at coercing the US into doing their bidding.

Goldstone

Israel’s criticisms of the Goldstone Report are verging on delusional. Its only defense – repeated time and time and time again – is that “during Cast Lead the IDF send thousands and flyers, text messages and phone calls to civilians, warning them to get out of the way.” The population of Gaza is over 1.5 million, and I don’t think over 1 million of those are Hamas militants. “The deaths of several hundred civilians in Gaza was ‘tragic,’ Netanyahu said, but there was no deliberate targeting of civilians by Israel. Deliberate targeting of civilians is a war crime, but what should Israel do when terrorists deliberately target Israeli civilians and then hide within their civilian population?” (#09TELAVIV2777) Netanyahu’s statement is contradictory and a blatant admission of criminal behavior, but this was Israel’s only defense despite Goldstone’s numerous accusations. “NSC Director for Israel and Palestinian Affairs Prem Kumar noted continued UNSC interest in the Goldstone Report, and asked Israel to inform the United States on any additional efforts or investigations the GOI was taking to help deflect any further damage from the report.” (#09TELAVIV2502) The Israeli government sees the Goldstone report as a threat – what it really is is a threat to Israel’s constant immunity. That the US, too, is keeping an eye out for “further damage” is indicative of our willingness to protect our neediest ally against any and all, especially legitimate, criticism.

Iran, and the rest of the world

Israel, perhaps rightly, perceives Iran as a threat. They seem to believe that everything from the Lebanese Armed Forces to Gaza tunnel smuggling to Turkey’s relationship with Syria represents Iranian infiltration and a constant threat. The idea that Iran is puppeteering the entire Middle East is reflected in Israel’s perception of its neighbors as part of a world-wide anti-Israel conspiracy. “Netanyahu warned…that if Iran gets a nuclear bomb, the peace process would be ‘washed away.’ Even Israel’s peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan would come under enormous pressure.” (#09TELAVIV2777) This, despite all evidence that neither Cairo nor Amman are too keen on a nuclear Iran. “The relative calm on all Israel’s borders does not obscure the fact that Israeli intelligence is seeing significant activity and planning by Iranian surrogates.” (#09TELAVIV2482) “Gilad addressed threats posed by ‘Hizballahstan’ and ‘Hamastan,’ noting that Hizballah/Hamas-Syria-Iran cooperation has strengthened. …IDF J5 Col Shimon Arad noted…Lebanon’s susceptibility to outside influences, including Syria, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. He recommended improved US.-Israel coordination, and called for an exchange of views. Arad also recommended creating Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) deconfliction measures, demanding improved LAF performance, and exerting greater pressure on Syria and smuggling.” (#09TELAVIV2502) Further, the Israelis believe US aid to Lebanon through the LAF will, in the end, go to support Iran.

Peace

Regarding the laughable peace talks, Netanyahu and his cronies continue to throw blame, accusing Palestinians of being the ones standing in the way of peace.

“Netanyahu stated that his government had removed hundreds of obstacles and roadblocks in the West Bank, helping the West Bank economy achieve a seven percent growth rate, adding ‘and we can kick it up to ten percent growth.’ … The current GOI had also restrainted [sic] construction in settlements more than its past several predecessors. … Netanyahu then contrasted his efforts with the PA, which he said is maintaining a ‘political and economic boycott’ of Israel, setting preconditions for negotiations, supporting the Goldstone Report in the UN, and is now talking about a unilateral declaration of independence. Israel wants to engage, but the Palestinians do not. Netanyahu quoted a Palestinian official as saying that the PA had ‘exhausted the negotiating process,’ then noted that the Palestinians have not even started to talk to his government. … Netanyahu also commented that the Palestinians had initially expected the U.S. to ‘deliver Israel’ on all of their demands, but are now realizing that this will not happen. President Obama understands, he stated, that Israel is ready to move forward. The alternatives to negotiations are bad for everyone. Netanyahu said that if Abu Mazen would engage, they would confront all the issues.” (#09TELAVIV2777)

“Gilad described the Middle East peace process as a ‘pillar’ of Israeli security. He quoted PM Netanyahu and President Peres that Israel remains sincerely committed to peace. Gilad noted however, that the re-launching of negotiations is complicated by the split in Palestinian leadership. … That said, he noted that Israeli-PA security and economic cooperation in the West Bank continues to improve as Jenin and Nablus flourish, and described Palestinian security forces as the “good guys.”” (#09TELAVIV2502)

“’Gilad expressed optimism over the current atmosphere in the West Bank, citing improvements in the security and economic spheres, and further stated that the reduced Israeli Defense Force (IDF) footprint in the West Bank has made conditions ripe for advancing the relationship. Gilad closed, however, on a sourer note by stating that the Government of Israel has little faith in the Palestinian negotiating team.’” (#09TELAVIV2482)

Israel is adept at slyly keeping the PA exactly where they want them: under de facto Israeli control. Indeed, Netanyahu’s generosity towards the Palestinians is heartwarming, it’s no wonder we’ve had the wool pulled over our eyes:

“Rosenblit said that Netanyahu emphasized his openness to talks between the GOR [Government of Russia] and the Palestinians because he welcomed any way to bring them back to negotiations. ‘We wanted everyone to tell Abbas to return to negotiations because we can’t give him a deal until he sits down.’ … Rosenblit said that Israel still insists on talks without preconditions and no interim agreements: ‘Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed.’” (#10MOSCOW392)

Further, the Israelis “also expressed skepticism about Palestinian President Abbas’s future, given his weakened position as a result of … his inability to get the full settlement freeze he had pushed for; they questioned his ability to restart peace negotiations.” (#09TELAVIV2482)

As always, Israel is the innocent lamb being sent to slaughter. No mention, naturally, of Israel’s responsibility in stalling negotiations; for the failure to continue the settlement freeze, no responsibility for the ambivalence towards drawing a map, no responsibility for the fact that settlers and settler violence are financially and politically supported by the Israeli government.

“Netanyahu stressed that he was not pushing for the Palestinians to hold elections, but was instead focused on promoting the expansion of the West Bank economy by removing both physical and bureaucratic obstacles.” (#09TELAVIV2777) Translation: Netanyahu rejects Palestinian statehood and any realistic potential for peace, but will do anything to make himself and his occupation look good. Israeli culpability seems to be lost on the Americans, deftly – if transparently – manipulated by Bibi. “Netanyahu said his meeting with the President was the best meeting that they have had. He stressed that he had told the President that he is ready to negotiate with Abu Mazen now, and contrasted Israel’s position with the PA’s setting of preconditions for negotiations.”

Mineshaft Gap

Arguably of the most financial significance is our military support for Israel. (Ironic, I think, considering their own largest economic sector is defense-based.) No matter what Israel is intending to use these weapons for – and more likely than not, against Iran or its so-called “surrogates,” we continue to give give give. These next two excerpts don’t need explanation – we are all well-acquainted with the prolific arms trade, or rather gifting, between the US and Israel. And the US and everyone else, for that matter. But read this inside the mentality of the Cold War (which I would argue is not over in the Middle East, only its players have changed), and its becomes almost hilarious.

“10. (S) Turning to U.S. regional arms transfers, Gilad suggested Qualitative Military Edge (QME) as a “codename” for potential threats against Israel. Israel currently enjoys peace with regimes in Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates — but the future is uncertain, and each of these regimes faces the potential for change, he argued. U.S. weapons — “the best in the world” — level the playing field by reducing the need for training — and could ultimately aid a future enemy of Israel, Gilad said. A/S Shapiro stressed the importance of transparency — while there may be differences between Israel and the United States in terms of a regional assessment, the key is to ensure that there are no surprises, he said.” (#09TELAVIV2502)

“3. (S) On QME, ASD Vershbow asked for Israel’s assessment of recent discussions, and across the board, Israeli officials expressed gratitude for U.S. efforts on this front and voiced optimism on the steps moving forward. Amos Gilad acknowledged the sometimes difficult position the U.S. finds itself in given its global interests, and conceded that Israel’s security focus is so narrow that its QME concerns often clash with broader American security interests in the region. Israeli officials acknowledged the impressive nature of the QME dialogue mechanisms recently established, but stated that the results of the process are what truly matter. MG Benny Gantz defined successful QME relations as “the effective process plus the right mitigations.” While not explicitly saying it, Gantz seemed to acknowledge that Israel does not expect that all QME decisions will break in its favor, but that Israel only expects a fair and equitable process that incorporates “intimate dialogue.” DG Buchris thanked Versbhow for the recent success of the JPMG and said he looks forward to convening the first meeting of the agreed upon working groups by the end of November. Vershbow stated that the technical working group discussions would be launched soon, and that he was looking forward to future Israeli participation on this issue.” (#09TELAVIV2482)

Even if it runs contrary to our own interests, we seem to be more interested in preventing – or possibly creating – a mineshaft gap between Israel and her multitudinous enemies, we are willing to throw caution to the wind.

A piece of old news, Obama and Congress are solidly in Netanyahu’s pocket, and that is worrisome. “Netanyahu said only the U.S. and Israel are currently working on missile defense. This cooperation sends a powerful message to Israel’s enemies he noted, and thanked the CODEL and the Congress for their support.” (#09TELAVIV2777) American diplomats cannot escape the hypnotic trance of the lures of cooperation. “Tauscher reiterated that the United States will not take any action to compromise Israel’s security and would consult closely with Israel — which GOI officials greatly appreciated. … Gilad … argued against creating the impression that Israel was the problem.” (#09TELAVIV2757) Alas, it seems our only role in Middle East politics is to be arms dealer and Israel’s workhorse, extraordinaire.

If the American government is really listening to this kind of paranoid propagandic drivel, and all signs point to the affirmative, then we live in sad days indeed. The Israelis ask, and the US gives. Anything, anything, for our little darlings. Israel is never wrong, the finger is always pointed away.

34 Responses

I just see a constructive dialog between allies and even admission by Israel that on certain issues American and US interests diverge and that is ok:
While not explicitly saying it, Gantz seemed to acknowledge that Israel does not expect that all QME decisions will break in its favor, but that Israel only expects a fair and equitable process that incorporates “intimate dialogue.”

Let’s be honest here. What you were expecting is some kind of implicit threats from Israel against the Obama administration to use the Lobby against it. There is zero evidence of that. Israel pleads with the the US while understanding its position as the junior partner in the relationship. And in fact as you admit, both the Obama and Bush administrations are acting towards Israel in the same way. Claiming that both Bush and Obama are acting against American interests is really stretching it. It just means you are losing the internal US debate about what the US interests are.

eee makes a very important point: The leaked communiques do not support the Measheimer-Walt thesis that has the US acting contrary to its real geopolitical interests due to the excessive influence of the pro-Israel lobby. Combine the material described here with the leaked cables from Arab leaders, that show a side in sharp contrast to their public stances, and the picture emerges of an implicit Arab-Israel alliance. The Saudis derive great benefits from the pax Israeliana that trump any concern they have for Palestinans.
US support for Israel is driven by rational strategic concerns, and not by a well-funded bunch of American Jews and Christian Zionists. Those of us concerned with the awful humanitarian price of this policy, and its longer-term disastrous consequences, need to be aware that its actual roots are in US imperialist strategy, not the lobby.

As’ad AbuKhalil, a professor of political science at California State University, Stanislaus. on Democracy Nowlink to democracynow.org
” the cables show the very high degree of control by the U.S. government over the policy decisions made in Saudi Arabia”

eee makes a very important point: The leaked communiques do not support the Measheimer-Walt thesis that has the US acting contrary to its real geopolitical interests due to the excessive influence of the pro-Israel lobby. Combine the material described here with the leaked cables from Arab leaders, that show a side in sharp contrast to their public stances, and the picture emerges of an implicit Arab-Israel alliance.

Well, clearly you don’t know what you’re talking about.

1. The “sharp contrast” that you speak of has long been there. No Arab citizen in any of the Arab states in the Middle East is under the illusion that his or her leaders are not US-backed and Israel-protected hacks.

You’re either trying to deceive others or are uninformed yourself.

2. As for the claim put forth by your friend above, it seems to be intentionally myopic. To expect inter-embassy cables to contain evidence to corroborate that which takes place on the political level between the two countries (Israel and the US) is to live in a fairytale.

a) Politicians who kowtow to Zionist pressure and demands, are certainly not going to advertise their efforts on such a network.

b) U.S. Foreign policy is conceived and managed through intermediaries like these so-called “Warm Jews” who are Israel-firsters.

c) To expect an explicit admission of the Lobby’s control and influence in such cables is ludicrous.

Avi, this is not the place to rehash all the reasons that US policy toward Israel is better explained by Israel’s service of US interests in the region than by the overwhelming influence of “the lobby.” I was not defending the lobby or denying that it has any influence. My point was only that the classified cables released thus far are more consistent with the US hegemony argument than the lobby thesis. I reject everything in eee’s post except the observation that successive US administrations are not acting contrary to US interests in the Middle East. I just regard those interests as ultimately antagonistic to peace, security, and self-determination for the people of the region.
The reflex derision of your reply does not reflect well on you.

daniel, My point was only that the classified cables released thus far are more consistent with the US hegemony argument than the lobby thesis…..US administrations are not acting contrary to US interests in the Middle East. I just regard those interests as ultimately antagonistic to peace, security, and self-determination for the people of the region……..The reflex derision of your reply does not reflect well on you.

lol. okkkkay. iow if you think US administrations are not acting contrary to US interests, then you must think peace, security, and self-determination for the people of the region is not in US interests. whateva! oh, ‘reflex derision ‘ aside ..clearly you don’t know what you’re talking about!

John Cole notes an added irony of the furor over this latest disclosure: “I have a hard time getting worked up about it – a government that views none of my personal correspondence as confidential really can’t bitch when this sort of thing happens.” Note how quickly the “if-you’ve-done-nothing-wrong-then-you-have-nothing-to-hide” mentality disappears when it’s their privacy and communications being invaded rather than yours.

Iranian nukes would have only one purpose, to deter an attack on Iran itself, and this is precisely why they are perceived as a threat by Israel.
Demonization of Ahmedinijad, and the claim that Iran intends to launch a first strike on Israel is just a way of mobilizing support for a preemptive attack on Iran.

And with Rachel Maddow, NPR’s Terri Gross, Scott Simon, John Bolton and many others repeating the debunked “Iran wants to wipe Israel off the map” so many times I have lost count along with referencing Iran’s nuclear program as a “nuclear weapons program” there is no need to wonder why many Americans all ready believe Iran has nuclear weapons

This situation, like a terminal illness, has been growing within the American body politic for some time as the late revered Senator JW Fulbright, one of the first targets of the Zionist Lobby, put it simply in 1989:

“The fundamental problem for us is that we have lost our freedom of action in the Middle East and are committed to policies that promote neither our own national interest nor the cause of peace. AIPAC (the American-Israeli Public Affairs Committee) and its allied organizations have effective working control of the electoral process. They can elect or defeat nearly any congressman or senator they wish, with their money and coordinated organization.” (J. W. Fulbright, The Price of Empire,1989, Pantheon Books, p. 183.)

Fulbright was targeted by AIPAC as punishment for having held hearings in the Senate in 1963 that exposed how the American Zionist Council, AIPAC’s original incarnation was acting as a front for the Israeli government which was funneling US tax-exempt money sent to Israel, back to the the AZC to pay for pro-Israel propaganda.

These hearings, much of which was classified, led to efforts by Pres. Kennedy and brother Robert as his attorney general, to force the AZC to register as a foreign agent. The AZC’s lawyers stalling tactics outlasted the life of the president and the efforts died when the very pro-Israel LBJ assumed office. You can read all about it in Grant Smith’s very important work,”AMERICA’S DEFENSE LINE The Justice Department’s Battle to Register the Israel Lobby as Agents of a Foreign Government,” in which Smith makes good use of recently declassified Justice Dept. documents. Grant also hosts The Israel Lobby Archive which is highly recommended for believers and non-believers.

“That there is nothing new, or surprising, in these cables yet that we feel the need to parse through them is indicative of our frustration with the current state of affairs, leading us to believe this will be a worthwhile endeavor. ”

Come on focusing on Saudi Arabia’s role in financial support of Al Queda and other terrorist organizations (Rons Susskind focused on this in his book “The Price of Loyalty” Former Secretary of the Treasury Paul O’Neil was starting to investigate the connection and was canned by the Bush administration)

These ongoing releases will expose much much more. I think Sibel Edmonds testimonies about connections between Feith, Perle, Wolfowitz and questionable defense sales etc, spying on UN leaders etc will be exposed even more through these leaks

This “nothing new” being released chorus is just a bunch of hooey. Reveals and confirms once again that there are many Israeli agents working in the U.S. congress and that these individuals should be required to sign up under the Foreign Agents Registration act. That we should seriously question the not dual loyalty but Israeli centric loyalty. For Ros Lehtinen, Ackerman, Schumer, Israel comes before the U.S. in regard to national security

As’ad AbuKhalil, a professor of political science at California State University, Stanislaus. on Democracy Now
” the cables show the very high degree of control by the U.S. government over the policy decisions made in Saudi Arabia”

Prof Juan Cole on the releaselink to juancole.com
“As for Iran, US intelligence still cannot find evidence of a nuclear weapons program, and the UN inspectors again certified spring, 2010, that no nuclear material has been diverted from the Natanz facility to non-civilian purposes.

But the cable shed light on the thinking of high Israeli officials about why Israel cannot, as many US analysts have suggested, just live with an Iranian bomb if one is achieved. They believe that such a development would create a psychological nervousness in the Israeli public that would likely doom it as a Jewish state.

What is being implicitly referred to is the expectation that if the Middle East turns even more dangerous for Israelis, such that they lose their status as the sole nuclear regional superpower, then Israeli Jews may well simply emigrate in large numbers. Over time, this development would ensure that Palestinian-Israelis, now over 20% of the population, become a plurality and even a majority.

At some point the Palestinian-Israelis and those Jewish Israelis tired of the increasing boycotts and constant wars may just vote to give citizenship to the Palestinians outside the green zone, creating a binational state. This process, which is likely whether Iran gets a bomb or not, resembles what happened to the Maronite Catholics of Lebanon, who were a majority in the 1920s when the French created the country, but whose high rates of out-migration and low population growth rates reduced them to about 22% of the population (if you count the children) today. Israel will likely be Lebanonized over the next five decades, in any case.”

Seven weeks before the Israel Air Force reportedly destroyed a Syrian nuclear reactor, the American guest broaches the subject of Damascus’ claims that Israel is on the verge of attacking Syria. Dagan lies to him.

“Despite the fact that Israel has no intention of attacking, said Dagan, the Syrians are likely to retaliate over even the smallest incident, which could lead to quick escalation,” the cable read” Aluf Benn in
Haaretz

This shows either US is not privy to the darker plannings of Israel or the illegal transactions take place at a much higher level than that of diplomats or consulates or state department.

Your analysis of the specifics is okay, your overall framing of the importance of story is lacking.

Why do even alternative news writers feel the need to state the State Department line that there is “nothing new” every time Wikileaks releases something? There’s plenty new. Actual “evidence” as opposed to assumptions would be at the top of the what’s new list.

Secondly, this judgment of what is and what is not “new” is being made from a partial browse of the cables. All the cables quoted in this article, bar one, are from the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv.

Instead of browsing, try searching. Of the 243 total cables released so far (Day 1 saw 200), 131 mention the keyword “Israel” and 57 mention the keyword “Palestinian”. 157 mention either “Israel” or “Palestinian”. There’s a lot there and we by no means have seen it all.

Finally, one actual example of what is indeed new, direct quotes from Israeli leaders and security heads of how they perceive their Palestinian counterparts/Palestinian society when they think that only their supportive enablers are listening. The Mossad head stating that he knows very well that Palestinians aren’t forming Al-Qaida or Taliban branches would be a great example of divergence from private and public Israeli claims: link to twitlonger.com

It would be nice to see, in upcoming coverage of further Wikileaked cables, a basic recognition of the unprecedented scale and the political significance of this massive “leak”, that by its conclusion will have impacted the global political landscape like a mighty waterfall.

This “nothing new” response is another not so subtle way to undermine the importance of what is newly revealed or more evidence that supports Israel and the I lobbies disproportionate influence on U.S. foreign policy and other critical issues revealed or supported in the release.

Everytime Wikileaks releases we hear an echo chamber of the “nothing new” crowd.

While you make a valid point, I only speak for myself when I say that there is nothing new in these cables. For me, “nothing new” means that these cables don’t change my overall understanding of current conditions regarding the geopolitical landscape. And I suspect that holds true for others.

But, at the same time, I see where you’re coming from.

P.S. – I really wish that you’d post here more often as your previous contributions have been valuable.

“Why do even alternative news writers feel the need to state the State Department line that there is “nothing new” every time Wikileaks releases something? There’s plenty new. Actual “evidence” as opposed to assumptions would be at the top of the what’s new list.”

@MRW. One of the oft-repeated Israeli propaganda lines about Gaza is that Al-Qaeda has been organizing/operating there, which is totally false.

Obviously, if this were true this would make Americans and Europeans more sympathetic to Israeli attacks on Gaza. Therefore to hear the very head of Mossad say that THIS IS NOT THE CASE is highly significant.

Here are some examples:

“Israel has long accused al-Qaeda of infiltrating the Palestinian territories. The Israeli army’s intelligence chief said this week that more al-Qaeda members had entered the Gaza Strip after Hamas blew up the wall on the Egyptian border in January. ”link to timesonline.co.uk

“All the cables quoted in this article, bar one, are from the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv.

Instead of browsing, try searching. Of the 243 total cables released so far (Day 1 saw 200), 131 mention the keyword “Israel” and 57 mention the keyword “Palestinian”. 157 mention either “Israel” or “Palestinian”. There’s a lot there and we by no means have seen it all.”

King pushing the hooey about names being released. No names of soldiers or informants have been released

Senator Lieberman “shut the site down”link to guardian.co.uk
But foreign policy hawk Senator Joe Lieberman has walked back some of the more full-blooded rhetoric, arguing that designating WikiLeaks as a terrorist organisation would be a mistake:

“Normally we reserve that designation for groups that fit the traditional definition of terrorism, which is that they are using violence to achieve a political end… While it’s true that what WikiLeaks did may result in damage to some people … it’s not al-Qaida.”

But Lieberman still supports shutting the site down, saying: “It’s a terrible thing that they, that WikiLeaks did. I hope we are doing everything we can to take down their website.”

The best source I’ve found on this is a blog by Gordon Duff over at Veteran’s Today.

The guy is fearless, a blogging pit bull, ferocious on all things Israel. His work is definitely not for the faint of heart. Duff never minces words. His dry, ironic sense of humor eases the chase as he goes straight for the jugular. It’s one wild ride and well worth the time to follow. Only on rare occasions does Duff mention that he’s Jewish, himself.

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